Whether it was tackle Anthony Dima missing three games due to a leg injury or former defensive lineman Al Leneus converting to the other side of the trenches, the Minutemen struggled to field a consistent line for the majority of their painful first go-around in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Coach Charley Molnar is stressing the importance of finding a consistent starting five that hopefully can march onto the field together from August through November.

“I think it’s important for any football team to have a cohesive offensive-line group,” Molnar said Monday. “When those same five guys play together, practice together day in and day out, they seem to be able to develop that nonverbal communication that’s so important in that position – the way that they pass off twists, recognize blitzes, quarterback checks. They have all sorts of nonverbal ways of communicating, and we lacked that last year.”

Dima shared the frustration of the constantly changing unit’s failure to gain any continuity.

“When you have a solid five, you work together, you feed off each other,” he said. “But when you switch it up and there’s new guys rotating in, you might not work good with them.”

This season offers another challenge: depth. The Minutemen have just nine linemen on the spring roster, representing a combined 32 starts. UMass lost Quinton Sales and Stephane Milhim, each of whom started every game last season, to graduation.

Dima is the undeniable leader of the inexperienced group. The 6-foot-7, 302-pound redshirt senior has started all 20 games for which he’s been active the past two seasons.

“It’s really important because he – not only with his physical talents – brings some leadership and brings that mental demeanor, that mental intensity that you want,” Johnson said. “I’d like him to even become a little bit more verbal because I think the guys really respect him and they listen to what he says.

“He’s critical for us in terms of our development of the young guys and then how far along we’re going to bring the offensive line.”

Dima said he tries to set a good example for other players, like showing up early to practice, eating well and bringing a lot of energy. He also said his teammates are asking for his advice on certain plays, such as proper footwork and understanding assignments.

“I want the young guys to follow in my footsteps,” he said.

Center Matt Sparks, who will be a sophomore in the fall and had just three starts last year, said the line is “depending on” Dima, and called him their best offensive lineman.

But Sparks said Dima leads more by example than with words.

“On the field, he’s a really, really good player, and I think the other guys look up to him and take after that.”